10 Cheap and Free Things to Do This Week

A pride block party in Venice, a screening of Hausu, a talk about Robert Mapplethorpe and more things to do in L.A. this week, all for 11 bucks or less.

On Friday, Venice lights up the letters of its iconic sign at Pacific and Windward to celebrate gay pride. There are six letters in Venice, one for each color of the rainbow (well, minus indigo, but no one cares about indigo anyway). Coincidence? Maybe, but what the hell — it's an excuse to party. In advance of the lighting of the sign, Venice Pride hosts a block party featuring dancing in the streets to the sounds of DJ Victor Rodriguez on the turntables. Surprises are said to be in store, too — and at a pride celebration, you can bet they're probably pretty good. Windward Avenue and Pacific Avenue, Venice; Fri., June 3, 7 p.m., lighting at 8:15 p.m.; free. venicepride.org. —Gwynedd Stuart

The term "Hitchcockian" is used to describe thrillers so often that it has practically lost its meaning, but few have earned it quite like Brian De Palma. That he's also transcended the label is evident in films such as Sisters, Carrie and Blow Out — few have melded highbrow and lowbrow sensibilities like De Palma, whose works operate (and satisfy) on multiple levels at once. The Aero plays tribute to the writer-director in the lead-up to a members-only screening of Noah Baumbach's upcoming documentary about him, with tonight's offering of Body Double (on 35mm) and Femme Fatale representing sleaze at its most high-minded. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Fri., June 3, 7:30 p.m.; $11. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com. —Michael Nordine

If you've never watched House on a scratchy old print at midnight, you've never really seen Hausu. If you've never seen it at all, brace yourself for something wholly original (not always in a good way): Nobuhiko Obayashi's cult classic is the platonic ideal of bizarre late-'70s horror, the kind of movie most of us could never dream up on our own but that somehow seems inevitable in hindsight. A schoolgirl brings six of her classmates to her aunt's home in the country, where all manner of supernatural nastiness awaits. Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A.; Fri., June 3, 11:59 p.m.; $11. (310) 473-8530, landmarktheatres.com. —Michael Nordine

There was a time when the city and its various departments, from Public Works to the LAPD, shot miles of film strictly for in-house study, training and analysis. This is Los Angeles — Movies Made By and About the City plunders this huge archive of historical film, essentially the city's own home movies, to show them for the first time; spanning the 1920s through the 1990s, none of it has ever been seen by the public. This free matinee screening and lecture by city archivist Michael Holland is bound to be a fascinating look back at how our crazy burg developed and grew. Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., downtown; Sun., June 5, 2-4 p.m.; free. (213) 228-7000, lapl.org/whats-on/events/los-angeles-movies-made-and-about-city. —Jonny Whiteside

Chinese filmmaker Wang Bing turns his attention to a decrepit mental hospital in his little-seen 'Til Madness Do Us Part, which Los Angeles Filmforum and UCLA co-present for free. With a characteristically long runtime of nearly four hours, the film was made possible by a high level of access to an institution housing "unfathomable behaviors" and "mysterious phenomena" that few others are likely to capture in the same way — Wang is among the world's most revered documentarians. UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; Sun., June 5, 7 p.m.; free. (323) 466-3456, lafilmforum.org. —Michael Nordine

Noah Hawley tells a good story. And he's got the Emmy, PEN, Peabody, Critics' Choice and Golden Globe awards to prove it. The creator of the TV show Fargo has penned a thrilling new novel set in the aftermath of a plane crash with only two survivors. Hawley will discuss Before the Fall with none other than his esteemed colleague and Fargo actor Bob Odenkirk, who is also known for his incredible comedy career as David Cross' partner in crime on Mr. Show. The breadth of talent between the two is sure to make for an incredible discussion. Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz; Mon., June 6, 7:30 p.m.; free, book is $26. (323) 660-1175, skylightbooks.com. —Neha Talreja

UCLA is spending the month of June with Marquee Movies: Movies on Moviegoing, tonight offering a 35mm print of Splendor. A sort of lesser-known cousin to Cinema Paradiso, Ettore Scola's winsome drama stars Italian screen legend Marcello Mastroianni as the owner of the eponymous theater. His business coming to an end, Mastroianni reflects on a life lived in the comforting glow of the silver screen (hopefully with less saccharinity than Paradiso). UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; Mon., June 6, 7:30 p.m.; $10. (310) 206-8013, cinema.ucla.edu. —Michael Nordine

In collaboration with Outfest, LACMA's Classically Queer: LGBTQ Directors in Hollywood's Golden Age series commences with Sylvia Scarlett. An early rom-com led by Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, it's one of the most notoriously unsuccessful films of its kind: A test screening is said to have gone so terribly that Cukor and Hepburn offered to make their next film for free if producer Pandro Berman agreed not to release Scarlett at all. Hepburn and Grant would later redeem themselves with the likes of Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire; Tue., June 7, 1 p.m.; $5. (323) 857-6000, lacma.org. —Michael Nordine

Straight from Victorville Film Archives Pictures comes Deckercon 16, the latest and quite possibly greatest fan convention to date. You'll see new episodes of Adult Swim's espionage masterpiece Decker with star Tim "Decker" Heidecker, and Gregg "Kington" Turkington. CIA agent extraordinaire Decker fights Dracula, the Taliban and other evils that would destabilize our nation as we know it — and you get to be the proud beneficiary of the freedom Decker brings. You'll also get gifts, a Q&A with the stars and a night of incredible adventure. Sure, the production values may look cheap, but the spirit of Decker is priceless. Cinefamily, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., Fairfax District; Wed., June 8, 7:30 p.m.; free (first come, first served). (323) 655-2510, cinefamily.org/films/special-events-june-2016/#adult-swim-presents-deckercon-16. —David Cotner

In conjunction with the concurrent exhibits "Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium" at the Getty and LACMA (both thru July 31), Zócalo Public Square and the Getty co-host the discussion "What Did Robert Mapplethorpe Teach Us?" Writer William Poundstone of arts blog Los Angeles County Museum on Fire moderates the panel, which features Getty curator Paul Martineau, photographer Catherine Opie, LACMA curator Britt Salvesen and painter and Yale art historian Jonathan Weinberg discussing how the controversial photographer's portraits, still lifes of flowers, nudes and notorious depictions of sex influenced photography as an art. City of West Hollywood Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood; Wed., June 8, 7:30 p.m.; free with reservation. (323) 848-6460, zocalopublicsquare.org/event/what-did-robert-mapplethorpe-teach-us/. —Siran Babayan